Archway Gallery Exhibitions - 2017

Thomas Irven’s elegant and whimsical turned-wood forms display a cunning variety of detail. Surface texture is added or polished away into a glowing satin finish. Eccentrically turned finials and legs add personality to hollow containers. In this show Thomas explores yet another new technique: thin strips of wood are laminated, then bent to enhance the specific curve of the piece it is applied to. Margaret Miller joins Thomas in this exhibit. Formerly an Archway Gallery member, Margaret returns as a guest artist. Her oil paintings investigate a range of emotion expressed through the use of color, tone, light, and brushstroke. She works from sketches and photographs made in natural settings. In her studio, each painting takes on its own identity as Margaret allows bursts of vivid color to emerge through previous layers of paint, eliciting a sense of atmospheric surprise. With more blended tones, tranquility prevails.

Beyond the basic woodturning techniques, Thomas uses several additional techniques to add individuality to each piece. Trademark finials or spirals sprout from the tops of lids or from bottoms of some larger pieces. His works may sit askew or stand lopsided. He often adds feet to the vessels, animating them with a sense of movement. The graceful feet also serve to direct attention to the juxtaposition of the delicate legs and the larger hollow vessel they support.

Margaret Miller paintings for the current show are expressions of the resonance of a scene rather than a faithful reproduction of the visual details. Whether in a quiet park in Amsterdam, at Brazos Bend State Park, or on the streets of Houston, Margaret responds to the emotional potential of the scene. She takes a photograph, or makes a sketch, and takes notes about what attracted her to the spot. Then she creates the painting in her studio. She paints with the intention of investigating the sources of emotions that can be tapped with the use of color. She sees abstract art as the perfect outlet for her intention, and through art her imagination is released.

Life Interruptus... The constant ding of the cell phone, whether by text or call or email or Facebook or.... To counteract the stress and anxiety provoked by the constant interruptions, the practice of mindfulness has been gaining currency in the West. Mindfulness, a form of meditation, is the practice of maintaining a moment-to- moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, as well as of the surrounding environment.

Becky Soria has spent many years being mindful of her thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations, as well as the world she dwells within. In part, she was forced to attend to her interior landscape due to chronic pain caused by scoliosis. Fortunately, she has been able to turn adversity into opportunity, as her awareness drew itself inward to find an inner landscape of complex structures interrelating thought with sensation, sensation with feeling, feeling engaging idea. But these are relatively abstract conceptualizations of an inner landscape actually characterized by density, texture, color, movement, subtle energies, blockages, releases, compassion bodies, pain bodies, sacred bodies, lumina naturale... The list of the interior landscape of a mindful mind goes on and on.

In this current show, Landscapes of the Goddess Within, Becky Soria paints the woman as goddess, but not in any archaic way. She paints the inner landscapes of the totemic goddess female. Mindfulness practitioners are probably aware of chakra images, and these do represent an inner landscape. But this is the inner landscape of a quite perfected individual. It is a landscape for the advanced practitioner to use as a map. For the rest of us, Soria shows us our inner landscapes; and it is amazing.

Cecilia VillanuevaEmbraced by the VoidOctober 7 - November 2, 2017

Cecilia Villanueva's artist talk at the opening reception:

Cecilia Villanueva reflects upon open spaces using few lines and very few architectural structures, creating compositions which verge on the void. Through her artwork, she creates a path to dark yet necessary spaces; a vacuum in a world without limits.

For the past 15 years, the artist has created paintings inspired by and depicting architecture from the past and present. On her city walks she noticed that architecture today is no longer about solid buildings; instead, it is more about voids and a sense of vacancy. After several years of observing these immaterial spaces in architecture, she decided to make an imaginary journey into the insubstantial void.

Indeed, to be embraced by the void, Villanueva immersed herself into an architectonical space she found, almost by accident, in cities around the world; her paintings are of a place called vertigo which is a path to a dark yet necessary space… the vacuum. Villanueva says, “I felt vertigo… and fear. I was seriously experimenting with my mind, and the leap into the void required courage.”

Although this solo show is about architecture, her inspiration more specifically comes from the French philosopher Edgar Morin and his work on “complex thought” which has resulted in the artist’s attempt to immerse herself more deeply and adequately into understanding the complexity of our present life. In these paintings, you will see few lines and minimal architectural structures on the verge of the void. She tempts us with a voyage to the unknown and makes us feel the need to jump into her dark indigo palette; this is not an attempt to escape life but to go deep into ourselves depleted of paradigms, media, and politics in search of answers to the complex questions presented by the 21st century.​This most recent body of work by Cecilia Villanueva includes paintings which appear clean, cool, and almost clinical. They are mostly aerial views from what is seen when traveling by airplane, or views from Google Earth. These paintings are tactile, rendered in oils and mineral ink. We are reminded that one can only dare to follow the challenge from the New York-based writer Mila Jaroniec, “Do not merely fall, but place yourself inside the void where one can only go with the removal of any external influences.” Literally, come and jump.

With this new body of work, Cookie Wells “goes into the woods” with her colorful and evocative figures. This collaborative show with husband Tom Wells, a self-taught woodworker and furniture maker, has the Archway artist finding inspiration from the trees that surround her, leading to artistic interpretations of them as “figures” in nature.

The beautiful lines and interesting textures of Tom Wells’ furniture are as evocative as the figurative paintings of Cookie Wells, making this collaboration a perfect match. Each artist is passionate about their work and each is passionate about nature. Two visions, two elements, two passions come together in a new experience for both artists.

​Cookie’s favorite quote from one of her favorite artists, Matisse, sums up her artistic intention; “Color was not given to us to imitate nature. It was given to us to express our emotions.” In these new paintings, the artist combines her love of nature with her expressive figures. These figures convey her artistic strengths in color, texture, and emotion. The combination of art and nature is a natural choice for her; with this show she feels she has the best of both worlds.

ON THE VERGE puts the focus on endangered animals and is a tribute to the work of zoos in caring for animals, as well as their work in educating the public. Bringing attention to zoos and other wildlife facilities which persevere in the protection of wildlife is the artists’ primary goal. The Houston Zoo receives a special nod as it has been a constant source of inspiration for Spjut.

“Many species are endangered, extinct in the wild, or extinct altogether. Once a species is gone, it is gone forever,” explains Susan. Therefore, she uses her art to help raise awareness of this threat reminding us that, “human existence relates to all life forms on our planet.” Michael Bonagurio’s nature photography is a complementary balance to Susan Spjut’s exquisite animal paintings.

The artwork for this show began with inspiration from the Galapagos Islands. “Since taking a family trip to some of the islands in the Galapagos archipelago in 2012, Michael and I have enjoyed photographing animals and nature. Our world is endless in its wonder; I find it to be a constant source of beauty, interest, and awe,” comments Susan. In addition to the Galapagos Islands, the Houston Zoo and Texas State Parks have served as inspiration for Susan and Michael. Both artists have concerns about the Earth’s environment and the dwindling of natural resources which in turn places many wildlife species “on the verge” of extinction.

Archway artists follow the ancient tradition of making marks as statements, including those of the stamped and stenciled hands found in caves and shelters on every continent of the world, except Antarctica. There are thousands of these stamped and stenciled prints made by men, women and children who lived as early as 40,000 years ago. These hand prints seem to say clearly, "We are here. We are."

Ink&Image artists create art that explores the scope of making prints using relief, intaglio, monoprint, monotype, combinations of these, as well as experimental processes.

Joel Anderson is an encaustic artist incorporating modern, digital elements into an ancient art medium. For this exhibition, Anderson layers encaustic over monoprints or other base imagery then adds upper layer graphics via a digital image transfer process. Other techniques specific to encaustic are also shown, such as coating with shellac and then lighting the whole piece on fire.

Christie Coker typically works with acrylic paint on textured surfaces using sights and sounds from nature as her inspiration. For this show, she continues her exploration of texture while incorporating printmaking techniques into the artistic process. Coker received a Bachelor of Science in Education with a specialization in art from Lamar University. She has also studied at the MFAH’s Glassell School and has participated in workshops that encourage artistic growth. After a successful career as a classroom art teacher, the artist developed curriculum for a local non-profit organization providing art enrichment for children in the greater Houston area. Currently focused on producing art full-time, Coker has been represented by Archway Gallery since 2001. Her work is included in private collections in the United States and abroad.

Kevin Cromwell has been working as a printmaker for the last four years after starting with a “Steamroller Print” event in 2012. He works to make that process more visible in his latest works. Cromwell is currently exhibiting prints at the Universidad de Veracruz Ana in Mexico and has recently travelled to the University of Belgrade in Serbia to promote PrintMatters and the annual “Steamroller Print” festival.

For printmaker Mary Lee Gray making art involves using images, color and form to communicate a response to what has touched her life. Gray’s initial impulse may come from a tree etched against light, a human form in movement or very still, a thought, phrase, idea, random sound, or even from the tools and processes used to make the piece. Making a work of art resembles putting together a puzzle from disparate parts. The surprising result is a new image that can stand alone, speak for itself, and provoke a response from the viewer. Art is a discrete form of communication.

Harold Joiner is a painter who explores themes related to the natural or built environment. His work ranges from the purely abstract to the fully representational; he is inspired by what he sees in the cities, parks and nature preserves, as well as the open countryside of central and south Texas. Joiner is new to printmaking and has recently explored the use of unusual media in the development of prints. One such exploration involves using wax paper as the applicator for prints on smooth paper or on Yupo, a slick plasticized surface which is like Mylar. The resist of the wax paper in combination with the slick surface creates pleasant abstractions reminiscent of natural forms.

Painter donna e perkins approaches monotype printmaking in an experimental and playful manner. She is interested in the play of light on metallic surfaces.

With an extensive background in drawing, Shirl Riccetti has always enjoyed the physical activity and drama of transferring one image many ways. So much can be told in the placement, color intensity, and design on the paper. Riccetti received her BA in Fine Arts from the University of St. Francis. She continued her education at the La Romita School of Art in Terni, Italy, the University of San Francisco, San Francisco Art Institute, and Rice University. Her international painting trips include the Mas de la Chappelle, Provence, the Couvent du Jardon, Aups in France, as well as the Amalfi Coast of Italy, Spain, Portugal, and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Riccetti writes a monthly column for the Watercolor Art Society of Houston, called “Art on the Go”, for artists who travel.

Veronica DyerThings I SaidMay 6 - June 1, 2017

Working primarily with acrylics, Veronica Dyer builds her works of art in layers. It is the constant progression in her artwork that excites her - the changes, the challenges, and the accidents. This artistic process brings her enjoyment and fulfillment; by seeing and sensing the canvas acquire a life of its own, an expression of the intangible coming from all realms of her experiences eventually becomes a visual record.

Dyer's abstract works are an adventure into worlds often only discovered in the attempt to represent them. She prefers to paint in series exploring multiple approaches. Things I Said is a series with structured design and planning accentuated by layers of paint and other materials creating subtle impressions of geometry.

In this new series, Dyer has combined two different styles of work - Industrial and Contemporary. Despite working with meticulously delicate brush strokes during the first layers of the painting, the final result is texturally rough with bold strikes and no transparency, embueing the work with a sense of abandonment rather than that of an artist’s creation. The materials used for these recent works incorporate cardboard, metal, cloth, and mesh with the paint to create an urban quality.

​Veronica Dyer’s paintings are generally characterized by brilliant, bold, and lively colors but for this collection she has chosen to work with a lighter and more subdued color palette which coordinates well with current contemporary interior design. Dyer explains, “I believe abstract art is achieved with a variation of mediums, tonality, and texture; therefore, I keep an eye on contemporary décor and follow the latest trends in art and design. Developing this body of work has proven to be a productive experience in advancing my work and I am pleased with the resulting harmonious styles.”

Dyer was born in Venezuela and has lived in the United States since 2000. Her love of art and special capacity for painting are natural extensions of her artistically gifted family. She took her first art classes at age 13 with her grandfather, Italian artist Nerino de Panfilis, who painted in the style of the figurative movement.

Dyer's paintings can be found in private collections in Venezuela, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Switzerland. She is currently represented by Archway Gallery in Houston, Texas, Affaire D’Arte in Galveston, Texas, Mixed Emotions Fine Art in Houston, Texas, and Latin Art Gallery in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

donna e perkinsBecoming PaintApril 1 - May 4, 2017

The Artists' Talk from the exhibition opening:

Making art is seen by donna e perkins as a personal act of defiance. It is perkins’ rejection of the culture in which the practical and the religious formed restrictive rules, and beauty was suspect. While she would like to make a strong social statement that would make the world a better place, she's not sure how to do this. She finds something vaguely political about going one's own way in the pursuit of the secular pleasures of paint.

The abstract painter has spent much of the last two years secluded in her studio, hiding out from reality, playing with paint; exploring the properties of both acrylic and oil paint. In the spirit of exploration, donna e perkins has been experimenting with various viscosities and transparencies by dripping and pouring layers and layers of acrylic paint. While perkins does manipulate the paint, there is always a degree of chance to these paintings. She remains open to the results as she continues to add layers of paint until satisfied with the composition.

For the first time in almost four years, perkins has returned to oil painting. While she started with several small, tight paintings, she began new canvases using up the paint leftover from these works. It was a game to use all the paint on the palette by the end of the day. Canvases started in this manner are freer and the speed of the brush stroke is retained. In time, this method of starting compositions was applied to her large canvases; again, chance is a factor in the results. Working on a number of paintings at one time is common for perkins. Often she works on both acrylic and oil paintings during the same day.

Since 2009, perkins has been working with choreographers and dancers which is when she first began collaborating with jhon r. stronks. Working with dancers has been especially important in the development of her approach to painting. She finds the painting process to be a wordless dance with the tactile sensuality of paint. A dancer, a choreographer, a singer, a movement-based performance artist, or "Miss Understood" are all descriptions of jhon r. stronks. A very magical unicorn, jhon has been described as strong enough for a man and pH-balanced enough for a woman. The choreographic work of stronks combines the fundamental elements of choreography, dance technique, and authentic movement to create dances that speak truthfully.

"I have found a space within the collaboration between donna and I, that allows me to be completely open as I am becoming and developing my artistry/humanity. The space we inhabit together is wide and filled with curiosities that lead me in and out of a lifetime of memories, moments and fantasies. These years spent in collaboration have manifested a world of its own. A world that shimmers and vibrates through all the grit and grime that currently surrounds us,” explains stronks.

Alexandre Farris Soares is a performance artist from Houston, Texas. Alex was born in Salvador, Brazil and is a graduate from the University of Houston. He performs with several local companies and independent artists in dance, dance for film, and site-specific works. In 2012, Soares was awarded the Hope Stone HopeWerks grant for emerging choreographers and has contributed original works to various stages. In kiln, created for Becoming Paint, Alex tries to merge two into one with unforeseen consequences.

Christie Coker and Andrea WilkinsonWILDMarch 4 - March 30, 2017

The Artists' Talk from the exhibition opening:

“All the wild world is beautiful, and it matters but little where we go, to highlands or lowlands, woods or plains, on the sea or land… or in the sky.” This quote by John Muir serves as inspiration for Christie Coker and Andrea Wilkinson as they express their love of nature. WILD is a collaborative effort combining Wilkinson’s exquisite sculptural portraits of wild animals with Coker’s textural landscape paintings which are evocative of the environs in which these animals live. In the words of Muir, each artist believes that “…keeping close to Nature’s heart is a way to wash your spirit clean.”

Coker’s works of art in this collection are inspired by the spectacular landscape and animals of Yellowstone National Park, as well as the landscape and animals found in rural areas of Texas. The paintings are acrylic on textured surfaces with the creative process unfolding spontaneously as they develop. As collaborative partners for this show, Wilkinson and Coker like to find ways in which they each show their own version of an animal; Wilkinson showing the animal in 3-D and Coker showing the animal in a 2-D format where its environment is the focus.

Wilkinson’s sculpture features North American wildlife. Wild animals are magnificent and accessible, the Tetons or Yellowstone National Parks embrace moose, elk and bears. She is inspired just knowing that they are there, still living the wild life and fitting so perfectly into their wild environment. In Wilkinson’s sculpture, whether it is bronze or papier mache, she tries to capture what it is about wild animals that so fascinates her and share that with viewers, forming a connection between the wild and us.

Jane Ewen and Sandy EwenIn A New LightFebruary 4 - March 2, 2017

Jane Ewen and Sandy Ewen talk about their show at the opening reception's Artist Talk:

Archway artist Jane Ewen and architect/artist daughter Sandy Ewen have set out to explore the intangibility of light at its intersection with the painted surface. Their collaborative installation at Archway will meld Jane’s large format abstracts with Sandy’s projections of micro-collages. The combined product synthesizes its own unique structure, color, and movement while creating an ethereal and enveloping experience of color. Solo works by Jane Ewen will also be presented.

Jane Ewen is a contemporary Canadian / American painter currently residing in Houston, Texas. Her recent abstract works primarily explore texture and movement. The use of metallic, canvas, or plexiglass substrates, textured surfaces, and pours enhanced by numerous layers of glazes initiate a visual conversation with viewers. Richness and depth become an intricate statement woven with organic shapes and textures. The work may remind you of underwater life, the cosmos, or geological fissures, but these themes are not always intended by the artist; instead it is often the viewer’s own frame of reference which may lead to these conclusions.

Jane explains, “The textural element of my work is important to me and I like the viewer to also experience the tactile quality of the painting. Color and composition draw you in, but it’s the texture which keeps you intrigued.”

Sandy Ewen has been working with slide projections since 2010. Originally designed to accompany sound and dance performances, the slides have evolved through time and have become intertwined with print, film, photography, and installations; this is a first-time pairing with painting. The slides used for this collaboration have been designed to illuminate, colorize, and add texture to Jane’s paintings. The slides are created with melted plastic and poured epoxy, with a variety of other materials fused and mixed in. Sandy is on the Artist Board at DiverseWorks and has shown work at Fresh Arts and Galeria Regina. She is also a prolific guitar player, having released four albums in 2016. The artists explain, “The added layer of projected light is richer than anything one could paint. At the same time, the painting gives a tactile strength to the installation that cannot be denied. The use of a projection onto the painted surface adds an ethereal glaze; it adds a richness of color. We also look forward to the artistic interaction with viewers as they may cause some reflection and shadow onto the artwork, changing again the visual surface.”

​Jane and Sandy Ewen anticipate the public’s response to this unique collaboration remarking, “Experimental artists are curious people, and are interested in how their work is experienced and perceived by others.”

Shirl RiccettiIn A Good PlaceJanuary 7 - February 2, 2017

Shirl Riccetti's artist talk from the opening reception:

Shirl Riccetti presents “….In a Good Place”, a whimsical collection of watercolors, drawings, and musings. Each colorful piece brings a place, a time, and a feeling together and invites the viewer to share these moments in time with the artist. Riccetti explains that being in “a good place” could be a physical location, a moment shared, or a friend’s laughter.

Shirl Riccetti has combined the whimsy of her sketchbook pen drawings, inspired by her travels, with a variety of other sketches selected from the plethora of her sketchbooks to create this recent body of work. Each painting tells a visual story enhanced by the fact that her paintings are inspired by the sketchbook drawings which note sights, sounds, smells, and even the weather. When creating a painting from these small sketches, Riccetti finds that the senses noted actually bring the image and travel experience back to life.

“Art has given me a life-long joy. It has thrust me into the adventure of constant absorption of my surroundings. Art has introduced me to people who have enriched my life with their talents, their generosity, and probably their attitude toward life in general,” Riccetti says contemplatively then continued, “As a child, my family gave me confidence because they believed in me and respected my talents. As a teen, my education was geared toward art and I learned art basics. As an adult, my art jobs all built on one another and were in the field of commercial art; this was prior to computers and was at a time when pens and ink ruled!”

Riccetti received her BA in Fine Arts from the University of St. Francis. She continued her education at the La Romita School of Art in Terni, Italy, the University of San Francisco, San Francisco Art Institute and Rice University. Her fascination with Oriental painting led her to study with Roland Hsu, Dao Truong, and Weihong. Riccetti’s international painting trips include the Mas de la Chappelle, Provence, the Couvent du Jardon, Aups in France, as well as the Amalfi Coast of Italy, Spain, Portugal and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Freelance artwork, calligraphy, and teaching in an art enrichment program for decades have influenced Riccetti’s gallery work. She maintains professional and active memberships in organizations such as the Watercolor Art Society of Houston, Visual Arts Alliance, Women in the Visual and Literary Arts, and Houston Calligraphy Guild. Riccetti writes a monthly column for W ASH, called “Art on the Go”, for artists who travel. She has been represented by numerous galleries and has been included in various exhibitions in Austin, Corpus Christi, Rockport, Salado, Spring and Sugar Land, Texas.

Shirl Riccetti has been with Archway Gallery since 1993, and is the hostess for Archway’s popular “Tea and Tour.” Her delightful persona enhances the enriching insights she shares while introducing the gallery's artists, their styles, and motivations. “Tea and Tour” is available for private groups and can be booked through the gallery website.